Combination lock switch



Aug. 23, 1932. c. ROSINE COMBINATION LOCK SWITCH Filed Jan. 16, 1932 e WM 5 w 0 5 p w m E 5 5G Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES CONRAD ROSINE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS COMBINATION LOCK SWITCH Application filed January 16, 1932. Serial No. 587,012.

' Thisinvention relates to combination locks, and among its objects are tosimplify and otherwise improve upon locks of this type.

The invention has reference more particu larly to a combination lock for use in ma,-

nipulating the ignition switches of automobiles and other motor driven vehicles, although it is to be understood that its use is not limited thereto.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of this specification, and with all of said objects and advantages in view, this invention consists in the several novel features of construction, arrangement and I combinationof parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed. V

The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawing accompanying this specification in which 90 Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fragment of a dash of an automobile showing a simple form of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the combina:

' tion lock with certain parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail end elevation of one of the setting knobs and its pointer; and

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical cross section of theknob and associated parts taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawing, the reference character 7 designates a fragment of the dash of an automobile, to the rear side of which is riveted or otherwise permanently fastenedthe' casing of the lock. The dash is formed with an opening 8 through which the setting knobs and dials of the lock are visible. The lock casing is desirably composed of a supporting plate 9 to the rear side of which is rigidly secured an enclosing shell 10 which encloses the mechanism of the lock and prevents unauthorized persons from tampering with it.

Secured to the rear side of the supporting plate is a yoke-like bracket 11, and slidably mounted in said bracket and in the supporting plate 9 is a depressible stem 12 which protrudes from the front of the supporting plate 9. The stem 12 is provided with an annular shoulder 13, here shown in the form of a col,- lar, located between the supporting plate and the rear bar of the bracket 11 and pinned orv otherwise'fastened to the stem. Said stem and therewith the shoulder are spring pressed in the direction of the supporting plate by a coiled compression spring 14 which surrounds the stem and bears against the shoulder and the rear bar of the bracket 11. 1 w

1 When the combination lock is employed for actuating the ignition'switch of an automobile, an actuator 15 is provided upon the stem' 12, which may be in the form of a contact'barv adapted to engage contact pieces 16 mounted upon and insulated from the bracket 11. In this connection, it will be observed that when thejstem is depressed against the action of the spring the contacts of the switch are broken,

but that when the stem is released, the spring serves to thrust the stem forward, thereby closing the switchg. The stem may, however, comprise a lock bolt for locking any object.

The combination means for holding the stem in its depressed condition against the action of thecoiled spring comprises a plurality of disks 17 that are mounted upon the shanks 18 of knobs'l9 and are arranged to underlie the annular shoulder 13 and thereby prevent endwise movement thereof caused by the spring, except when the combination disks are properly set in accordance with the correct combination. Each disk l'Z is formed with a re-entrant portion 20 which by turning the disk may be madeto co-incide with the peripheral edge of the annular shoulder 13, asis'shownin Fig. 2, thereby permitting the shoulder tomove past the disksthrough the spaces left by the re-entrant portions. When, however, any one or allof the disks are returned slightly some portion ofthe disk is brought underneath thev annular shoulder 13, thereby preventing its movement in a direction to close the switch.

Associated with the combination disks is a detent 21 which is slidably mounted upon the supporting plate 9 and has an out turned end 22: of suflicient height to engage with the 1111-- derside of the annular shoulder 13 and hold the same andtherewith the stem 12 against the action of thespring 14, thereby permittingothe combination disks 17 to be freely moved underneath the shoulder. The detent is spring pressed into active position for restraining the stem 12 by a coiledcompression spring 123 which surrounds a pin 24 that is secured to the detent'21 and extends through ing a shank which extends through a slot in the supporting plate 9 and is riveted or other wise secured'to the detent. A cover plate 27- is provided for covering the slot and is con nected to move with the detent 21 by the shank of the 'knobi26 and by a rivet or screw 28 which also travels in the slot. It will be observed that the slot limits the movement of the detent to and from the annular shoulder and: is split as at 31-. The sleeve of the 13. V r V e r .A pointer and dial are associated with each setting knob 19, wherebya person may be guided in setting the combination disks into position to release the shoulder of the stem therefrom. As shown, each pointer 29 is formed as a part of a spring metal sleeve 30 which surrounds'the shank 18 of the knob pointer is held upon the shank 18 by frictional engagement therewith, but it may be turned relatively to the shank, by applying suflicient force theretofand thereby enable the user to change the combination, 1

vThe disk 17 is held against a shoulder on the reduced end of theshank of the knobby a screw 34 and washer, as is clearly shown in Fi'g. 6. -'The hole in thedisk' is non-circular and fits upon a non circularreduced part of the shank to prevent relative rotation therebetween A coiled compression spring 35 interposed between the plate 9 and disk 17 serves to hold the knob and pointer firmly against the plate. I

Desirably the pointer and supporting plate 9 are provided with complemental projections and sockets 32 and 33 (see- Fig. 6) whereby the pointer may be stopped exactly at the right place on the dial to bring the re-- entrant portion of the associated disk into c'o-incidencewith the peripheral edge of the annular shoulder of the stem. Thedial itself may be composed of a series of digits arranged circumferentially about the knobs, as is clearly seen in Fig. 1. V r i In operation, the combination lock is locked by depressing the stem 12 sufficiently to permit the spring 23 to thrust the detent 21 underneath the annular shoulder 13, said detent serving to hold the stem back against the action of the spring 14: with the contacts 51 of the ignition switch P By turning the to their inactive position.

caused by the spring, said disks having reknobs 19 more or less the combination disks 17 are brought underneath the annular shoulder 13. If now the detent 21 be retracted by pressing down upon the knob 26,

pointers opposite "the numbers on the dials I,

which correspond with the proper setting of the combination disks,-thus bringing the reentrant'portions of-said disks into co-inci-m dence with the periphery of the annular shoulder 13, and permitting theshoulder to pass through the re-entrant portions when ever the detent -is'retracted, The knob 26 which controls the detent is then depressed thereby releasing the shoulder, whereupon the spring 14: thrusts the stem forward and closes the switch. \Vhen the lock has been unlocked, the detent 21 is pressed against the peripheral edge of the annular shoulder 13,

so that when the stem is again depressed to open the switch, thedetent' is immediately thrust underneath the shoulder,,thereb y holding the stem inits retracted positionwith the switch open. The knobs are then turned to lock the stem in its depressed conditionwith the switch open.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

- ,1. A combination k in which is com prised a. supporting plate, a spring actuated depressible stem extending through said plate, settable combination disks co-operating to prevent endwise movement of said stem and having an inactive position permitting endwise movement of the stem, and a spring actuated detent for'resisting endwise movement of thestem and therewith permitting manipulation of the disks whereby .to' set the'latter in inactive position, said detent when retracted permitting endwise movement of the stem when the disks are adjusted 2. A combination lock in which is com-- prised a supporting plate, a spring actuated depressiblestem extending through said plate, an electric switch actuated by said stem, settable combination disks co-operating to prevent endwise movement of the stem entrant portions cosoperating to permit endsetting position, and a spring actuated detent for resisting endwise movement of the stem caused by the spring and thereby perto said position.

wise movement of the stem when adjusted to V 3. A combination lock in which is comprised a plate, a depressible stem extending through said plate and having an annular shoulder behind the plate, resilient means for urging the stem in one direction, a plurality of disks rotatably carried by the plate and having portions adapted to be moved into position for encountering the shoulder, thereby preventing endwise movement of the stem caused by the spring, each disk having also a re-entrant portion adapted to be brought into co-incidence with the periphery of the shoulder, whereby the spring may move the shoulder through said re-entrant portion of the disk, a knob for operating each disk, an associated pointer and dial for each knob, a spring actuated detent adapted to engage with said shoulder of the stem to prevent endwise movement thereof caused by the associated spring, and means for manipulating the detent whereby to disengage the same from the shoulder.

4. A combination lock in which is comprised a plate, a spring pressed depressible switch actuating stem extending through said plate and having an annular shoulder thereon behind the plate, an electric switch actuated by said stem, a plurality of disks rotatably mounted on the plate and having portions adapted to be moved into position for encountering the shoulder and thereby preventing endwise movement of the stem caused by the spring, each disk having also a reentrant portion adapted to be brought into co-incidence with the periphery of the shoulder, whereby the spring may move the shoulder through the said re-entrant portions of the disks and close the switch, a knob for operating each disk, an associated pointer and dial, a spring actuated detent adapted to engage with said shoulder of the stem to pre vent endwise movement thereof caused the spring, and means for actuating the detent whereby to disengage the same from the shoulder.

5. A combination lock in which is comprised a frame, a depressible stem mounted for endwise movement therein, said stem having an annular shoulder thereon and being spring pressed in one direction, a plurality of disks mounted on the frame and having portions adapted to underlie said shoulder of the stem when the latter is depressed and 6. A combination lock in which is comprised a frame, a depressible switch actuating stem mounted for endwise movement therein, said stem having an annular shoulder thereon and being spring pressed in one direction, an electric switch actuated by said stem, a plurality of disks mounted on the frame and having portions adapted to underlie the shoulder of the stem when the latter is depressed and thereby prevent endwise movement of thestem caused by the spring, said disks having re-entrant portions adapted to be adjusted into positions co-incident with the periphery of the shoulder, whereby to permit movement of the stem caused by the spring and thereby close the switch, a knob connected with each disk and having indicating means for determining the position of the disk, a spring pressed detent V adapted to engage under the shoulder of the stem to prevent endwise movement thereof caused by the spring, and a knob connected with the detent.

7. In a combination lock, the combination of a dial, a combination disk, a knob having a shank rigidly secured to the disk, and a pointer co-operating with said dial and formed on a split spring sleeve encircling I the shank of the knob and held thereon by friction, substantially as and for the purpose 7 

